We’re home. Oh, yes. Home. It’s not Boston. It isn’t Vermont. But it’s home. It’s where our church, our house, our dogs, and our friends are. It’s where Chris’s school (Lincoln Middle School) and buddies are; it’s where Diane (Sam Thomas Elementary) and I (Abilene Christian University) teach. It’s where Chris was born; where Matt met Jenna and graduated from high school (Abilene High) and college (ACU); and where Megan is buried. For 15 years, it’s been home.
It was late when we got into DFW last night, so we stayed in Ft. Worth. As often happens, we think about some of the churches we’d like to visit that we’ve never been to. Then we go to Richland Hills, eager to hear Rick preach.
One of the serendipities of our trip was having an evening with Andre Resner, whom we hadn’t seen since 1999. Andre was a good friend while the Resners lived here; we were all in covenant group together; and he helped with Megan’s funeral. But, remarkably, we hadn’t seen him since they left. He’s now teaching homiletics at Hood Theological Seminary in North Carolina. (Bit of trivia: anyone out there remember the creative, wonderful article “Christmas At Matthew’s House” that Andre wrote for one of our Christmas issues of Wineskins? It received, ummm, a good bit of attention.)
ON LEADERSHIP: “It is not enough for the priests and ministers of the future to be moral people, well trained, eager to help their fellow humans, and able to respond creatively to the burning issues of this time. All of that is very valuable and important, but it is not the heart of Christian leadership. The central question is, are the leaders of the future truly men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God’s presence, to listen to God’s voice, to look at God’s beauty, to touch God’s incarnate Word and to taste fully God’s infinite goodness?” (Henri Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus : Reflections on Christian Leadership
Glad to hear you got home safely. I’m a bit jealous of the Boston/Vermont journey. One of these days I’ll hit the northeast with my family.
It’s funny…Abilene as a home. I have moved around so many times. Never thought west Texas would be home to me. And it will likely only be that way for a short while. But who knows? Between the BBQ, Highland church, ACU, Cajun Cones and Friday night football, I think I can manage.
Awww….Home…
I’m reminded of some comforting words by Michael Buble…
“Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home”
Nice Nouwen quote.
I remember. All of a sudden I was being told that I was attending a college that didn’t teach the virgin birth. Fascinating. I’ve also seen your file on it. That’s what I should blog about some time. Mike’s files. If only the brotherhood publications could get their hands on THOSE.
Mike, I have really missed you and your family. I was gone and then you left while I was still gone and now you are home and I leave again on Wednesday. I miss your wife. This summer has been crazy and it may stay that way. This is home…really, now it is.
Christmas at Matthew’s House, now if I remember the legs on that article was more about “what I think Andre Resner meant” than what he actually said. Boy oh boy aren’t we fun!
“It is not enough for the priests and ministers of the future to be moral people… eager to help their fellow humans, and able to respond … to the burning issues of this time. All of that is very valuable and important, but it is not the heart of Christian leadership.”
This is a bunch of crap.
If they do the above, then how do they not:
“…desire to dwell in God’s presence, to listen to God’s voice, to look at God’s beauty, to touch God’s incarnate Word and to taste fully God’s infinite goodness”
I do not see how they can be separated. Why not add something else to a minister’s \leader’s already full plate? When does anything ever trump loving your neighbor as yourself (eager to help their fellow humans)? This love is the very presence of God. How else would one accomplish all the things posed in the central question?
The only thing that makes this the central question is Henri Nouwen said it. Sure he has some good stuff but this is not it. Focusing on some God in the sky removes us from the God physically present in humanity. It seems to Henri, that Christian leadership can be found separate and apart from the humanity where it is practiced.
I get so tired of people quoting famous theologians. It makes the rest of us cattle seem unimportant and somehow a lesser member of the church. If my mamaw said the above quote, no one would give her the time of day because she has a 3rd grade education. Her take on Christian leadership is not writing some book full of pithy sayings but visiting rest homes in her free time and putting more peaches in a bushel basket than can possibly fit and selling it below cost or giving it away. How is that not the heart of Christian leadership?
Richard Feynman (noted physicist) once said “If people think your good, you don’t have to be”. I think that applies here. Preemptively: “I do not need to eat guacamole (AKA lighten up)”.
Great quote.
I agree with you, Leland.
I visited Highland for the first time Sunday. My daughter and I are here for June passport. It was all I could have hoped for. Great singing, friendly people, great sermon. I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet you. Maybe next time. I now get the decorating reference from Joel Q. Orange, Wow. I can’t wait to visit again-orange carpet, uncomfortable seats and all.
Deana - Don’t you remember the I-promise-not-to-publish-Mike’s-files pledge you signed when we started working together?
Susan - You got to hear Jeff Childers preach yesterday. I can’t wait to hear the sermon myself.
Leland - I still like the quote. It would have been profound if it had come from your grandma. It’s way too easy to focus on the second great command without dwelling on the first great command. Leadership begins with prayer, with solitude, with the enjoyment of God. Far from adding more to the plate of leaders, this makes leadership even possible. During those times when I’ve tried to burn the candle at both ends keeping the second commandment, I’ve nearly burned out. But those times when I’ve dwelt, listened, looked, tasted, and touched (to use his images), I have experienced great rest and joy. Then I’m ready to go love my fellow human beings. Yes, it’s true that the two should not be completely separated (see 1 John 3); but this follows the model of Jesus.
“I get so tired of people quoting famous theologians. It makes the rest of us cattle seem unimportant and somehow a lesser member of the church.” That’s certainly not what I intend to do. I quote from people who challenge me, who encourage me, who prick my thinking. I don’t really think of Nouwen as a famous theologian. I think of him as the man who gave up a plum teaching post at a prestigious university to live among mentally handicapped adults. I think of him as a man of great compassion, a man who lived with inner turmoil, a man who poured out his life for “the least among us,” and a man who deeply blessed two friends of mine who went to spend time with him before his death. This is the man who knew that moral activism and doing good will burn you out without finding deep joy in the presence of God.
Good words, Mike — both from Nouwen and your response as well. Another person (I won’t say theologian) who embodied a Nouwen-esque inner life of worship was Thomas Merton. Merton’s Thoughts in Solitude are the Catholic monk’s written reflections from his time alone with God. It’s a great “back-of-the-toilet” read, as it is only as big as the palm of your hand.
Good response.
I do not see how they can be separated.
This is interesting to me, because I have been feeling lately like the two are separated. I’ve had plenty of good examples of how to help people, but no good examples of how to be in a relationship with God. I don’t think they should be separated, but I think they often are.(And, I would agree that there is a level of communing and worshiping in being moral, helping each other, etc. But is that all the relationship with God is to be?)
Plus, I’m sure there are people who are moral, help each other, etc. who don’t believe in God. Are you saying that they are worshipping without knowing it?
Jeff’s sermon was great. He gave your blog site on the screen for anyone who had any further questions. It was quite funny.
Abilene is a black hole of sorts, isn’t it? Just kinda sucks you in. It goes beyond fond memories; it is home in so many ways for our family.
Rick CAN preach … but can grill skirt steak and make gaucamole? Come on now!
Resner was one of my top five fav profs in my short 13 year undergrad career. That brother is Real and Smart. In fact, he Real Smart! Speaking of real smart, way to drop “serendipities” on us common folk. I knew what it meant, but then again, I was in college for 13 years…
Nowen’s stuff on leadership puts me in the crucible of this question:
Do I hunger and thirst for God?
It is a question that I’ve been asking myself often of late.
Reminds me of the following quote from A.W. Tozer:
“O God, I have tasted thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to thank Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still.”
And finally, did Holt Jr. just call Merton’s classic work “a great ‘back of the toilet’ read?” There is only one author in human history who is the true “great back of the toilet read” … Rick Riley! Come on Steve, you should know that bro.
What are the odds?
I just ran across a “great quote” from one of the “cattle”:
“There is only one author in human history who is the true “great back of the toilet read” … Rick Riley!”
Profoud.
If I were Mike, I’d visit that guys church the next time he was 12 minutes from the stinkin DFW airport!
Quile - Next time we’re coming to Lake Cities. I know the preaching there is great, too.
reJoyce,
“Plus, I’m sure there are people who are moral, help each other, etc. who don’t believe in God. Are you saying that they are worshipping without knowing it? ”
I say they are but hey what do I know. Moo! and Eee-Haw!
LOL. Yes, I’d tend to agree that they are, too.
But, I still think there’s more to being in relationship with God than that.
Mike, Glad you and your family are home.
For myself the most important thing I can do daily is spend time in prayer and worship alone with God. I believe our God desires us to be connected soley with Him and through this relationship comes the true compassion and love(from God) we are able to pour out to our fellow man in the hurt and broken world.
Nouwen’s article (I don’t remember the name of it) pertaining to Luke 6 has richly blessed my faith and my ministry. He elaborates on how Jesus went from solitude (6:12) to community (6:13-16) to ministry (6:17-26). I find it to be a healthy paradigm for ministry.
I can’t believe that 2 of my buddies are really talking about “back of the toilet reads” on preacher Mike’s blog. This seems to be a conversation that belongs at a guy’s night out while sitting around a fire, drinking cokes and chewing on cigars. So, Steve Jr. and Quile, what do you say we meet half way? Nashville? Quile, I’ll pick you up on the way from H-Town?
Welcome home, all you Copes!!
I’ve learned over the years that home is where best I can serve my LORD and His children. That’s where I’m happy, that’s where I’m content and that’s where my joy lies.
As to the quote, imo, it is echoing the order in which Jesus gave us the first and second greatest commandments.
First - God
Second - Fellow man
When they are combined in that order, God receives the glory for our service to and for Him. Without the first, the second too often becomes self glorifying and self satisfying.
Again, welcome home, and I’m so glad you consider Abilene home. Your family and your ministry here play a big part of my “contentment in all things.”
Strange last sentence, hopefully the meaning is clear. LOL
Your family and ministry here are a big part of my “contentment in all things.”
There, somewhat better.
Will Jeff’s sermon be available by podcast? Pretty please.
Sure I remember Christmas at Matthew’s House. And if your blog readers don’t remember it, they can read it free at this link.
Eventually, I’ll get all the way back to 1992 (and beyond) getting the archives posted on the New Wineskins site, but in the meantime I think we could all be blessed by some glimpses like this!
Is Donald Haymes that is at Hood the same Donald Haymes that has a restoration movement church background?
Nope. This prof’s name is Donald Haynes.
I’ll try to get Jeff’s message on our podcast and our home website.
Thanks Mike. Somehow the fonts on the new fangled web sites keep getting smaller so that Haymes looks like Haynes!
Peace.
Are there any two more disparate places than Vermont and Abilene?
Glad you made it home safely. Jeff did a great job Sunday morning. Your description of Vermont evokes so many pleasant memories. Becky and I loved to visit Liberty Hill Farms B&B in Rochester. It’s a working dairy farm owned by a wonderful Christian couple, Beth and Bob Kinnett. The breakfasts are worth the trip and the three story barn in over 100 years old.
Hello. I see that you are fond of Boston. My family and I may be moving there in the near future. We have lived in the desert since birth so it should be an adventure. Could you recommend some churches to us? We would like to serve in youth or family areas. I would be happy to hear from any of you.
Thank You
http://www.myspace.com/wecomeinpeace
Tim, No, but there aren’t any two places that are more different than Abilene & Vermont! HA?
Are you kidding? You can get sermons on podcasts? How?
Andre’s article, “Christmas at Matthew’s House” deserves to be in the Best of Wineskins edition.
Edward Fudge recommended “In the Name of Jesus” when I was preaching and trying to work through some leadership issues. If only I had……
Of all the articles that have caused a stir over the years, “Christmas at Matthew’s House” was one that I could never understand the fuss over. I read some of the reaction and was left thinking, “Did they read the same article?” Home is where your roots are, and for me it is Memphis, one of the most bizzare places on earth, but it is home thru and thru.
I am a major Nouwen fan! Love the quote!
Glad you are home safely!
Josh and Kayci have been counting the days down until Matt and Jenna are back in Houston.
The preaching has ALWAYS been great at Lake Cities!
Mike,
Looking at your commenters reminds me of when I saw Josh Ross, Joel Quile and Casey McC. sitting together during a Maymester with their dorky laptops. I knew that the three of them would only cause trouble. I hear they had a lot of fun surfing the internet during class hours. Ah, the joy of being a student in today’s wireless world.
And, as always, I love reading Nouwen. In the Name of Jesus was the first Nouwen book I read, so it has a special place in my heart.